Orange County Public Works

ByJose Ochoa |July 17, 2017

The removal comes less than two weeks after the county entered a $750,000 contract with the non-profit City Net to provide services to a separate group of homeless people camped on the western bank of the Santa Ana River near Angel Stadium.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California has filed a federal lawsuit claiming that by erecting a chain-link fence next to the Santa Ana River in Orange, county officials have unconstitutionally “imprisoned” 75 to 100 people living in a homeless encampment there.

Supporters of a plan to slash City Manager Paul Emery’s signing authority on city contracts from $100,000 to $50,000 say it will increase accountability. But opponents said it shows a lack of faith in Emery and will bog down the city government.

The board of the Orange County Employees Retirement System is scheduled to vote Monday on whether to dock the pension benefits of former county public works executive Carlos Bustamente because of his sex crimes.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors approved settlements totaling $1 million with two female county workers who accused the former county executive and Santa Ana councilman of sexually assaulting them.

Carlos Bustamante — a former Orange County Public Works executive and one-time rising star in the local GOP — pled guilty late Friday morning to sex crimes and grand theft of public funds. He is expected to serve jail time.

Chapman University Law Professor and former Orange County supervisor chief of staff Mario Mainero discusses the controversies enveloping the county District Attorney's office. The discord has fueled an election challenge to incumbent Tony Rackauckas from Supervisor Todd Spitzer. But many observers are pushing for an “outsider” to enter the race. Is Mainero the answer? He discusses the state of justice in OC and whether he'll run for DA.

It’s been more than 14 months since Orange County voters approved an ethics commission. Still, only one county supervisor – Shawn Nelson – has appointed a board member to the important oversight panel, which has yet to publicize any actions or the appointment process.